Category Archives: Breaking News (All Categories)

At the CAPA India webinar, India’s financial outlook FY22-23 revealed that domestic traffic may reach FY19-20 levels this year, but international will take until FY23-24. There is a visible softening of demand due to fuel prices and economic conditions. 2022 is predicted to be another loss-making year, losses will be trimmed, but will remain substantial.

IATO has thanked Finance Minister, GST Council and the Chairman CBIC for favourably considering  two of its recommendations- removal of, GST on services provided outside India to foreign tourists if they take combined package of India and neighbouring countries and  secondly GST for the ferry service hired for transport of passengers including tourists used as public transport from point to point transport in Andaman & aNicobar Islands,  in the GST Council meeting held in Chandigarh.

Abhay Sinha, Director General, Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC), has said that it is highly unlikely that Government will continue with SEIS in the current format anymore. “However, SEPC will continue to urge for an alternative incentive scheme to help the tour operators get back to their pre-COVID levels.”

FHRAI has submitted a representation to Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, highlighting problems faced by inbound tourists with filling the online Air Suvidha form and has requested for its immediate withdrawal. With several passengers having missed their flights to India, the Association has appealed for the Ministry to at least provision physical forms as an alternate to the online forms.

Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General (ADG), Ministry of Tourism will be repatriated to her parent cadre after a proposal of the Ministry of Tourism for her premature repatriation was approved on the grounds of availing the benefit of promotion in the cadre. Rupinder Brar joined the Ministry of Tourism in August 2019.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has decided to remove a host of tax exemptions and hike rates for an even larger number of mass-consumption items. It approved a proposal to impose a 12% tax on hotel rooms costing below Rs 1,000 per day. So far, only hotels above the threshold were charged 12% GST. The two-day GST Council meeting in Chandigarh, is being chaired by the FM.

Tamil Nadu has surfaced as the leading tourist destination for domestic travellers. As per the India Tourism Statistics – 2021, Tamil Nadu emerged as the state with the highest percentage of visitors. The state’s share hovered at 23 percent, followed by Uttar Pradesh with a visitor share of 14.1%. The data reflected the number of visitors that Tamil Nadu entertained in the year 2020. As per the report, Tamil Nadu, in 2020, had roughly 14 crore domestic visitors, whereas the second leading state in domestic tourism, Uttar Pradesh, had around 8.6 crore visitors 2020.

Speaking about India during a webinar organised by PATA India chapter, Liz Ortiguera, CEO, PATA, said, “India has outperformed APAC countries in the recovery with a faster capacity rebuild. While other countries are suffering due to under capacity, India has bounced back nicely. However, with the opening of air services and borders, India needs to plan and execute an aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns to boost the tourism arrivals.”

Nepal’s government has appointed Jeevan Ram Shrestha as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Shrestha had taken over the post that oversees the country’s vital tourism and civil aviation sectors, both primary sources of foreign exchange earnings for the landlocked country. He said his priority was to revive tourism marred by prolonged Covid-19.

With the tourist sector in Oman recovering following lifting of curbs by several countries, the country recorded a mammoth 32,570 Indian tourist arrivals in May 2022, the highest so far since 2012. A total of 13,481 Indian travelers visited Oman in January 2022, compared to 7,340 of the corresponding month in 2021.